Shillong June 5: As part of the World Environment Day 2014 observation, the Meghalaya Governor, Dr. K. K. Paul today planted tree saplings at Raj Bhawan premises and at Ward’s Lake, Shillong in the presence of Mr. M. S.Rao, IAS Principal Secretary to the Governor and Forest and Environment department, Mr. C. P. Marak, IFS, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Meghalaya, Mr. S. A. Nongsiej, IFS, District Forest Officer, Social Forestry Division, East Khasi Hills.
It may be mentioned that the tree saplings planted by the Governor is the Himalayan Blue Pine and its scientific name is Pinus wallichiana from the family of Pinaceae.
The Himalayan Blue Pine tree is indigenous to temperate zones of the Himalayas from Afghanistan to Bhutan between latitude 27° to 28° N and between elevations of 1220 metres to 3660 metres and where mean annual rainfall is between 1016 to 1905 mm with heavy snowfall in winter.
The tree tolerates wide range of soils provided it is not excessively wet or dry and the tree naturally regenerates abundantly in openings. The evergreen conifer tree reached up to 40 metres in height. The tree also form good, early growth slow, frost resistant and fire tender, slightly drought resistant and light demander.
The leaves (needles) of the tree in fascicles of five are 12 to 18 cm long, flexible along their length, often droop gracefully and cones are long and slender between 16 to 32 cm and their seeds are 5 to 6 mm long with a 20 to 30 mm wing.
The tree yield timber of good quality, resinous, fairly light, moderately hard, durable and easily worked. The main uses of the timber of the tree are for general construction timber, interior finish, joinery, teachests, resin, shelter, pulpwood and soil conservation.(SP News)
